1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automotive vehicle seat assembly comprising a seat cushion, a seat back, and a recliner assembly operatively interconnecting the seat back and the seat cushion for adjusting the seat back between a plurality of reclined seating positions and a stowed position relative to the seat cushion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automotive vehicles include seats assemblies for supporting occupants within the vehicle. Each seat assembly typically comprises a seat cushion, a seat back, and a recliner assembly pivotally interconnecting the seat back and the seat cushion. The recliner assembly allows for selective angular adjustment and locking of the seat back relative to the seat cushion between a plurality of reclined seating positions. A handle and input shaft assembly are commonly utilized to actuate the recliner assembly between locked and unlocked states during angular adjustment of the seat back.
The recliner assembly can be designed to allow adjustment of the seat back between any one of the reclined seating positions and a stowed position. However, recliner assemblies currently utilized in the seating art require a user to continuously maintain the recliner assembly in the unlocked state via the handle while the seat back is adjusted between the reclined seating positions and the stowed position.
Accordingly, there is a need for a seat assembly having a mechanism for controlling the recliner assembly during adjustment of the seat back between the reclined seating positions and the stowed position so that the user does not need to manually hold the recliner assembly in the unlocked state. Further, such a mechanism must not interfere with the regular operation of the recliner assembly during adjustment between the various reclined seating positions.